UK Home Office Publishes Asset Recovery Statistics, Including Data on Cryptocurrency
Key Takeaways
- 01The Home Office published official asset recovery statistics for the financial years ending March 2021 to March 2026 on 10 September 2026, updated on 15 September 2026.
- 02Confiscation order receipts were £150.9 million and forfeiture order receipts £155.9 million in the financial year ending March 2026.
- 03Part 5 of POCA allows civil forfeiture of cryptoassets linked to unlawful conduct without a criminal conviction.
- 04The release is statistical; it does not change the law or official guidance.
The UK Home Office published official statistics on proceeds of crime recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 10 September 2026, updating the release on 15 September 2026. It covers the financial years ending March 2021 to March 2026.
In the financial year ending March 2026, £150.9 million was recovered through confiscation order receipts, 5% less than the previous year, and £155.9 million was recovered under forfeiture orders, 28% more than the previous year.
The release explains that Part 5 of POCA allows forfeiture of cash, money in bank accounts, listed assets and cryptoassets that represent property obtained through, or intended for use in, unlawful conduct, without a criminal conviction. The accompanying data tables include Home Office data on cryptocurrency.
The release is statistical and does not change the law or guidance. It is relevant to cryptoasset businesses as an indication of how often UK authorities use POCA recovery powers, which extend to cryptoassets.